Folding table.



H. A. FRANK.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY '5. 1916.

1 ,249 96% Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

HARRY nlrnanx', or TOLEDO, onro.

FOLDING TABLE.

menace.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1917.

Application filed July 5, 1916. Serial No. 107,572.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY A. FRANK, a

I citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain'new and, useful Folding Table; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the-invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which 1t appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accom'pan ing drawmgs, and to the characters 0 reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification. v

This invention relates to furniture, and, particularly to tables of the folding or collapsing type.

The object of my invention is the provision, in connection more particularly with light sewing and card tables having folding legs, of simple eflicient and improved means which is easily operable from an edge".

of the table to simultaneously fold or unfold the several legs and to retain them in either set-up or collapsed position.

The invention is fully described in they following specification, and while, in its broader aspect, it is capable of embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a table embodying m invention in set-up position. Fig.2 is a ottom plan view thereof in folded position. Fig. 3 is an enlarged central cross-section of the table in set-up position, with parts broken away. Fig. l'rs' an enlarged perspective view of the portion of the table through which the control lever projects. "Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the outer end of the control lever, and Fig.6 is an enlarged sectional view. of the leg carrying means of the table.

Referring to the drawin s, 1 designates a table top, which is pre erably provided around the entire edge thereof with a depending flange 2. A leg 3 is pivoted at its inner end within each corner of the flange 2 being carried, in the present instance, by a screw-pivot 4, which is projected through one leg of an L-shaped bracket member 5, thence through registering openings in the leg and a washer member 6, and threading at its inner end into a flan e 2, as shown in Fig. 6. It is thus evi out that each pivot-screw 4 is carriedat one end by the res ectlve bracket member 5 and at its other en by the table flange into which it threads and that the leg is retained in slightly spaced relation to the side flange with which it is associated by the washer member 6.

The pivots of successive legs are disposed at right angles to each other so that the legs are adapted to fold in the same direction perimetrically of the table edge or ange.

A control lever 7 is pivoted to the under side of the table centrally thereof, as at 8, and has four radially projecting arms 9 disposed at right angles to each other and each connected by a rod 10 to an adjacent leg 3 near the inner or pivoted end thereof, 'as at 11. One of the lever arms 9 is extended to form a handle and projects through a slot 12 in the adjacent flange side. The handle arm of the lever is formed with a rib 13, which is adapted to'engage with teeth 14 at one edge of the slot 12 to releasably retain the lever at the limit of its movement in either direction so that the legs may be locked in eitherset-up or collapsed position.

It is evident that a turning of the lever 7 in one direction when the legs are in the folded or collapsed position shown in Fig. 2 will communicate an outward or unfolding movement to all of the legs and will cooperate with the rods 10 to brace the legs in unfolded position. It is also evident that a'movement of the lever in the opposite direction whenthe legs are inunfolded position, will impart collapsing or folding movements thereto.

Eachleg 3 is provided wth a stop-finger 15, which is of L-form and secured thereto in position for its outwardly projecting finger to bearagainst the lower edge of the flange 2 when the leg is in full open position.

I wish it understood that my invention is I not limited to any specific construction, ar-

ran 'ement or form of the parts, except in so; ar as such limltatlons are speclfied 1n the claims."

Having thus described my invention, What i I" claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, ise 1. A table having atop portion ofpolygonal form, a set of legs hin ed to'difi'erent side edges ofthe table for olding and unfolding movements in the. same direction:

perimetrically of the table, and means ineluding a lever member carried by the table top at its under side and connected to each leg, said means being operable when turned in one direction to impart simultaneous unfolding movements to the legs, and vice versa.

2. A table having a top, legs hinged to said top for folding and unfolding movements in the same directions perimetrically of the top, a lever pivoted to the under side of the table and having an arm for each leg, a rod connecting each lever arm to an adjacent leg near the inner end thereof, said lever and rods being operable upon a movement of the lever in one direction to impart simultaneous unfolding movements to the legs, and vice versa.

3. A table having a top of square form and provided around its edge With a depending flange, a leg pivotally carried by the flange in each angle thereof, and lever means pivoted to the under side of the table and having a plurality of arms, each connected to an adjacent leg and operable upon a movement of the lever in one direction to impart simultaneous unfolding movements 

